The GOP and its Malice in Wonderland attitude
Republicans lost the political battle on extending unemployment benefits Tuesday when the Senate voted 60-40 to end a filibuster and allow the vote to take place. Once the Senate takes that final vote, the bill will go to the White House for President Obama’s signature and benefits to the longterm unemployed will resume.
Yet that final vote has yet to occur. After yesterday’s vote, Senate Republicans no longer have the power to stop the bill, but they are using Senate rules to delay passage as long as possible, a step that accomplishes absolutely nothing except to make the 2.5 million longterm unemployed wait another two days for the money they need to pay the rent, feed their children and keep the lights on.
In a saner, more compassionate world, such acts would be inconceivable.
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192 comments Add your comment
Buckagon
July 21st, 2010
3:37 pm
Jay,
In a saner more compassionate world, it might be conceivable that liberals would forgive a Democrat Klansman who would lead the Senate for fifty years. Waitaminute, that already happened!
How much more money should Republicans allow to be spent before they start fighting against it? Put another way, why not just write everyone a check for say $50,000 a year? If as you say, it accomplishes nothing, then why the whole “malice in wonderland” hyperbole?
jewcowboy
July 21st, 2010
3:40 pm
“Dear Unemployed Person or Persons:
These are tough times for Americans. They’re especially tough times for people like you who have lost your jobs, and who still can’t find new ones, because of the Obama Recession, which started at approximately 12 noon on January 20, 2009, after eight years of nonstop growth and prosperity under President George W. Bush.
We sympathize with your situation, and we know how hard it must be to be without a job as the bills pile up. (Technically, we don’t really know how hard it must be, because we all have jobs — with lots of great benefits, too — but we can certainly imagine how hard it must be. We’d hate to be in your shoes right now.)”
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rick-horowitz/out-of-work-republicans-s_b_652703.html?ir=Comedy
Buckagon
July 21st, 2010
3:41 pm
I’m starting to better understand the word “compassion”. It means, monetary spoils and fleecing of the treasury for any purpose liberals deem worthy.
No compassion is offered for those who will eventually have to pay the debt.
thomas
July 21st, 2010
3:43 pm
Jay,
how many years and months do you feel unemployment should be extended for?
Why were democrats oppossed to getting the bill passed at a much earlier time by using stimulous money that is unspent to pay for the extension?
In a more compassionate world…. demcorats would have passed the benifits they wanted to pass when presented an opportunity to pass them and pay for them. The dems chose not to and thus the 2.5 you seem so concerned for were forced to wait.
jewcowboy
July 21st, 2010
3:43 pm
Buckagon,
“No compassion is offered for those who will eventually have to pay the debt.”
Considering the Republican orgy of excess from 2001 – 2009, that is indeed rich…
StJ
July 21st, 2010
3:45 pm
But we shouldn’t have any long term unemployed! We passed the porkulus…er, stimulus bill, right? Why not give them some money from that? Oh, wait, that’s inconceivable.
thomas
July 21st, 2010
3:45 pm
jewcowboy
July 21st, 2010
3:43 pm
so are you advocating that 2 wrongs make a right?
the dems could have paid for this and had it settled earlier but THEY chose not to pay for it with Stimulus money.
David
July 21st, 2010
3:45 pm
“After yesterday’s vote, Senate Republicans no longer have the power to stop the bill, but they are using Senate rules to delay passage as long as possible, a step that accomplishes absolutely nothing except to make the 2.5 million long-term unemployed wait another two days for the money they need to pay the rent, feed their children and keep the lights on.” Here’s hoping those 2.5 mil are voters who’ll remember this when their Republican reps come up for re-election in November.
Finn McCool
July 21st, 2010
3:45 pm
There go those Republicans again – acting all christian like!
Jay
July 21st, 2010
3:46 pm
Buckagon, who will pay the additional debt created by extending the Bush tax cuts for the rich, which will have an impact on the debt 20 times or even 100 times that of helping the unemployed?
thomas
July 21st, 2010
3:47 pm
David
July 21st, 2010
3:45 pm
you do know that republicans offered a measure that would have passed a vote and all it was stating was that some of the unspent money from the stimulus bill be used to pay for these benifits. But democrats frefused and instead wanted to forge ahead with it unpaid.
thomas
July 21st, 2010
3:47 pm
Jay
July 21st, 2010
3:46 pm
Again 2 wrongs make a right how?
jewcowboy
July 21st, 2010
3:48 pm
thomas,
“so are you advocating that 2 wrongs make a right?”
No…I am saying Republicans are being disingenuous. They could care less about the deficit…or they would be looking at the defense budget, Social Security and Medicare for areas to cut…in combination with tax increases.
Jackie
July 21st, 2010
3:50 pm
The Repubs in the Senate and House are not too concerned about their political careers because they have support from their constituents. Wow!!!!
Yankee in Gooberville
July 21st, 2010
3:52 pm
yes, but that would require they have ‘hearts’. These inhuman creatures populating the GOP only care about the rich.
Jay
July 21st, 2010
3:53 pm
First, I don’t think we are dealing with two wrongs here. Unemployment benefits have been extended as emergency measures for many decades, without controversy and including in the early years of the Reagan administration.
Second, even if one were to accept the “two wrongs,” argument, one wrong is relatively minor in scale and would help those struggling, while the other is much larger in scale and would help those who by definition do not need it.
So why focus on the minor problem and ignore the major problem? What possible justification do you offer for that?
thomas
July 21st, 2010
3:53 pm
jewcowboy
July 21st, 2010
3:48 pm
quick judgment there.
Maybe they have learned the error of their ways, like Ms. Sherrod?
Why are some allowed to change and others you deem incapable?
jewcowboy
July 21st, 2010
3:54 pm
Bush signed 2 general unemployment benefits extensions in 2003 and in 2008, which extended benefits an additional 13 weeks with Republican support….I wonder what has changed?
jewcowboy
July 21st, 2010
3:55 pm
thomas,
“Why are some allowed to change and others you deem incapable?”
History.
Finn McCool
July 21st, 2010
3:56 pm
Jay, ummm, can you define need?
A man making $200,000 a year still has needs. Crepes and champagne aren’t cheap!
Intown
July 21st, 2010
3:56 pm
Jay you said it. The Repubs just gave the American people the political equivalent of raising their middle finger.
stands for decibels
July 21st, 2010
3:56 pm
Unemployment benefits have been extended as emergency measures for many decades, without controversy and including in the early years of the Reagan administration.
…as I’m sure our corporate media outlets are taking pains to make people aware when reporting this story, right?
NowReally
July 21st, 2010
3:56 pm
***Contest for the new Conservative Republican slogan of 2010 ****
NO Healthcare, NO Unemployment Insurance, NO Financial Reform, NO illegal Immigration
——– ONLY THE STUPID VOTES FOR ME ———-
thomas
July 21st, 2010
3:57 pm
Jay
July 21st, 2010
3:53 pm
Thats false if the Bush tax cuts expire and a new tax code is not voted on or the Bush cuts extended then ALL taxes will go up including those who need it as you say.
I see you remain silent on the point that Republicans offered on June 1 a plan that would have extended Unemployment benifit for 2 months then, and then again offered up to have stimulus money pay for it.
Who blocked that and showed no concern for the 2.5 million who need help? DEMOCRATS… odd you never mentioned that… I am sure it was not an intentional deletion?
MARK
July 21st, 2010
3:58 pm
So Jay just how much longer do we keep these benefits going? Was this neccesary maybe because Obozo cant create any jobs?
Finn McCool
July 21st, 2010
3:58 pm
I wonder what has changed?</i.
The GOP is like kids throwing a tantrum in Target. Lying on the floor kicking and screaming.
"We lost the last two elections BIG time but we still demand to be heard!"
thomas
July 21st, 2010
3:58 pm
jewcowboy
July 21st, 2010
3:55 pm
what about newly elected republicans what in their history shows that?
You do know the history of the democrats right?
Scooter
July 21st, 2010
3:59 pm
What is EOI? I googled it and didn’t get anything. Anyone please!
jewcowboy
July 21st, 2010
4:01 pm
thomas,
“what about newly elected republicans what in their history shows that?”
Ohh..I’m sorry…they are in leadership roles of course.
“You do know the history of the democrats right?”
Yep…the good and the bad.
Finn McCool
July 21st, 2010
4:03 pm
You have to hand it to the Republicans. Because they almost all vote how they are told to they are able to stay relevant. After those last two elections they could have just shriveled up and blown away but noooooo. They are still thumping their chests.
Like fish and guests, something is starting to stink.
thomas
July 21st, 2010
4:03 pm
Intown
July 21st, 2010
3:56 pm
Again,
you are aware that dems refused a proposal on June 1 that would have paid for a 2 month extension…. but DEMOCRATS refused, only wanting THEIR bill to pass, then again when a proposal to use unspent stimulus money to pay for extensionthe dems again said no.
Just again don’t trust jay for ALL of the facts. It wan’t just republicans or democrats.
BTW how long do you feel unemployment benfits should last for?
Any limit on the time and if so what?
jewcowboy
July 21st, 2010
4:04 pm
Scooter,
Economic Opportunity Index?
http://www.hopestreetgroup.org/content/index.php/eoi/faq.html#q1
MARK
July 21st, 2010
4:04 pm
What last 2 elections are you referring to Finn?
thomas
July 21st, 2010
4:05 pm
jewcowboy
July 21st, 2010
4:01 pm
so why does your bias then allow for the democrats with a horrible history to change but republicans not?
double standard—-yes
You are the guy who only sees fouls on the other team and if the ref dare call one on your team the ref was wrong… does that about sum you up?
Finn McCool
July 21st, 2010
4:06 pm
Was this neccesary maybe because Obozo cant create any jobs?
Hmmm, they didn’t like it when the government created temporary jobs for the census, methinks they surely wouldn’t like it if Obama stepped in and started creating make-work jobs.
Finn McCool
July 21st, 2010
4:07 pm
2006 and 2008, Mark
Scooter
July 21st, 2010
4:08 pm
jewcowboy
July 21st, 2010
4:04 pm
I don’t think so jewcowboy. josef said if I were here more often that he would vote for me as EOI for the day. ??????
jewcowboy
July 21st, 2010
4:08 pm
thomas,
“so why does your bias then allow for the democrats with a horrible history to change but republicans not?”
Where did I? You mention Ms. Sherrod…an individual…I did not realize she was the Democratic Party…or that she was even a Democrat.
RF
July 21st, 2010
4:09 pm
“…which started at approximately 12 noon on January 20, 2009, after eight years of nonstop growth and prosperity under President George W. Bush.”
O..M..G- please tell me you don’t really believe that crap?? Check your facts, cowboy. The recession began officially in 2008 with the first “stimulus” to bail out Lehman Bros., et.al. The economy was already tanking, the derivatives frauds were coming apart at the seams, and the almight Bush era of deregulation and no monitoring of investments had wreaked its havoc. The “growth” was because of the defrauding of investors who bought mortgage securities derived from risky mortgages that were due to fail at some point. That point came sooner than Greenspan and Da Boys thought it would. The country was OFFICIALLY in a trillion + deficit situation long before January 20, 2009. Tax cuts, prescription drug coverage for Medicare, and two wars (none of which was ever funded in any budget) took a surplus in 2000 and turned it into a worldwide economic meltdown by 2008. Yeah, I really love that Bush economic policy. But hey, his buddies in the oil and insurance industries raked in the dough, so who cares about the “small people”?
Obviously, you’re employed and thus qualified to judge what the unemployed need. Having lived through several recessions in the last four decades, let me tell you that unemployment benefits are not some free ride to the easy life. You have to be looking for a job and putting in applications. Your benefits can be terminated if you’re just sitting at home on your butt.
Think about it folks. The benefits allow families to have money to spend- get it, SPEND. This creates demand for goods and services and increases the likelihood that companies providing those goods and services will be able to begin growing again, thus creating more jobs and less need for the benefits. It’s a cycle, and if you take out a significant portion of the consumers, you take out the businesses they would buy from otherwise. We don’t get economic growth by forcing people to live in tent cities and starve. We don’t get it by giving tax cuts to those with money and waiting for the “trickle down” economics to work. It never has, and never will.
MARK
July 21st, 2010
4:10 pm
So is anybody gonna answer the question…how long do these benefits continue?
jewcowboy
July 21st, 2010
4:10 pm
Scooter @ 4.08,
Sorry…in context I don’t think so either…no clue
Finn McCool
July 21st, 2010
4:11 pm
Your benefits can be terminated if you’re just sitting at home on your butt.
What if you’re just sitting on yer butt playing Call of Duty 4?
Shawny
July 21st, 2010
4:12 pm
What is inconceivable is that benefits could not be extended with cuts in other areas, or using money set aside for things like stimulus, this new level of bureacracy for the banking industry, etc.
Politicizing (n.), the art (read: crime) of B.S.ing citizens into supporting a proposal that supposedly improves the lives of the downtrodden without considering the facts behind said legislation.
Ex., universal healthcare coverage, unemployment benefits, etc.
This administration excels in politicizing. How could we possibly not support expanded healthcare and unemployment benefits? How inhuman.
Oh yeah.. the details and alternatives aren’t discussed.
jewcowboy
July 21st, 2010
4:12 pm
RF,
You might want to check out the link…
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rick-horowitz/out-of-work-republicans-s_b_652703.html?ir=Comedy
See that word “comedy” in there…look before you leap.
joe matarotz
July 21st, 2010
4:14 pm
I saw a good one this morning – “Obama is like a college student with a credit card.” How true.
Jay
July 21st, 2010
4:15 pm
Vilsack has called a press conference for 4:45 to make a statement about the Sherrod case.
RW-(the original)
July 21st, 2010
4:16 pm
And one only need harken back to last November when President Obama proudly signed HR 3548 extending unemployment benefits and declaring how fiscally sound an idea it was that it was paid for within the legislation.
Peadawg
July 21st, 2010
4:17 pm
Jay, how are they paying for this? Are they using unspent stimulus money like the Republicans suggested?
MARK
July 21st, 2010
4:17 pm
Who cares Jay…did the white House make this big a deal about the Cambridge police officer after that screw up…..Na, he just said, lets have a beer
Midori
July 21st, 2010
4:19 pm
So why focus on the minor problem and ignore the major problem? What possible justification do you offer for that?
stupidity?